Who will step up in the New England Patriots' wide receiver room in Week 7? Signs are pointing to DeMario "Pop" Douglas.
As the Patriots head to Chicago to face the Bears on "Thursday Night Football" to open the week, they do so without their top receiver through one-third of the season. Romeo Doubs, who leads New England with 261 receiving yards this year, landed on injured reserve (IR) this week.
He'll miss the next four games at minimum after landing hard on his shoulder while making a touchdown catch in Week 6.
Also in Week 6, veteran A.J. Brown returned and had a rough outing that included multiple drops. He finished with three catches on 10 targets for 27 yards.
With Doubs out and Brown working back to form, Douglas – the receiver leading
the Patriots in targets (30) and receptions (20) – may need to be the one who steps up against the Bears in a battle of 4-2 teams. Here's what to know:
Who is Pop Douglas?
"Pop" Douglas is Patriots receiver DeMario Douglas' nickname. According to Douglas, he's had the name since he was a toddler.
Here's his story, courtesy of the Patriots' official website:
"My grandad died on my birthday when I turned one, and I walked up to the door and said 'Papa." Everyone started saying it and that's how I got my nickname. So it started as 'Papa' but a lot of grown men don't like calling me that (laughing). So Pop just stuck."
DeMario Douglas stats
Douglas is off to a strong start to his 2026 season. His Week 6 performance against the Jets – seven catches for 86 yards and a touchdown – was his best of the year so far.
Here's how the fourth-year receiver's season looks by the numbers:
- Targets: 30
- Receptions: 20
- Receiving yards: 233
- Yards per reception: 11.7
- Touchdowns: 3
Douglas' three touchdowns through six weeks already match the career high he reached in both 2024 and 2025. His 660-yard pace would be enough to set a career high in receiving yards as well if he keeps up his production.
DeMario Douglas fantasy outlook Week 7
Douglas could wind up having a big night in the Patriots' "Thursday Night Football" meeting with the Bears.
The young receiver just had the third-biggest game of his career against a Jets team that is allowing the 22nd-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers through six weeks. As Doubs dealt with injury and Brown struggled with drops, Douglas caught seven of his eight targets and led the team with 86 receiving yards in Week 6. He also scored his third touchdown in his last two games.
Doubs is out for at least the next four games after the Patriots placed him on IR. Brown is still working his way back from his ankle injury and will likely draw most of the attention of the Bears' pass defense.
In addition, Douglas has taken most of his snaps from the slot this year – his 82.7% slot percentage, per PFF, is the highest mark of his career. Bears cornerback Malik Muhammad – the Chicago defender with the most snaps in slot coverage – has also graded out as one of the team's worst players in coverage, per PFF, with 15 catches allowed for 249 yards.
One caveat is that Douglas might face Kyler Gordon more often in Week 7. Gordon, the Bears' second-round pick in 2022, returned in Week 6 after missing five games with a calf injury. Chicago deployed him more as a pass rusher in his 2026 debut, but Gordon's career history shows a tendency to take more snaps in coverage. It's still unclear how the Bears will use him as he works his way back from injury.
Still, with two of the Patriots' other top wideouts dealing with their own issues, Douglas may become a target for quarterback Drake Maye to lean on during the "Thursday Night Football" clash.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Pop Douglas? What to know about Patriots WR with unique nickname
